Abstract

What is Downed Wood?

When a tree dies its life is only partly over. As wood decays it continues to play an essential role in many different ecosystems - in forests, in streams, in estuaries and in the ocean. As they decay, fallen trees, broken branches, slabs of bark and upturned roots:- provide food - provide shelter - create growing sites for plants and fungi - enrich and stabilize soils - contribute to stream ecosystems

Downed wood is also a biological legacy - a link between present and future forests.